SANDBOX
by darkknightwriter
Summary: i met him in a sandbox, wanting to be his freind, i didn't know how much he would effect my life. i do not own naruto
1. Chapter 1

I was five years old when I met him. My parents and I went on a vacation over the summer to Suna to visit friends and relatives. My mother was taking a few of my cousins and me to the park to play for a little while. It was my very first time to be in Suna so I didn't have any friends to play with, and my cousins where older than me and thought it was 'uncool' to hang around me and keep me company. I looked at my mother for advice, mother always made thing better.

"Why don't you go out and find someone around your age and make a new friend?" I walked around the park trying to find someone to play with. After a few minutes of searching I gave up and sat down in a sandbox and started to play with the sand.

A boy sat down in front of me and started to help me build a sand castle. I looked up from my work to see a boy around my age, with flaming red hair, and jade eyes. "Aren't you going to run screaming yet like everyone else does?" he asked not looking up from what he was doing.

"Why would I do that? It's not like you're going to hurt me. I'm Kat Maru and I'm five and I'm visiting granny and papaw here while I'm on vacation. What's your name?" He looked shocked that I was talking to him still. I wonder if people don't like him, if so why?

"I am Sabaku no Gaara, I am also five, and my daddy's the Kazekage." The boy told me.

"Do you want to know something, Gaara?" he nodded "you are my first friend that I made here." We both smiled and started talking, well, I did most of the talking and he listened most of the time. "- and I'm going to be the very best ninja ever!" I yelled to the world or in our case the playground.

"Kat, sweetey, we need to get going, before it gets too late." My mom said to me, walking to me.

"Oh! Mommy meet Gaara! He's my new friend I made!" I said while getting up and standing by mom. My mom smiled at Gaara and gave him a small nod.

"Hello, Mrs. Maru!" Gaara said with a big grin.

_**11 years later**_

"Kat! Kat! Wake up! Hello!" Sakura snapped her fingers in front of my eyes. I shot her a cold glare. It has been eleven years since I had been to Suna. I still lived in the Hidden Leaf Village like I did when I was little. I grew up to be an ABNU ninja. Since team seven lost their original team mate to the s ranked criminal Orochimaru, I was put on team seven as a replacement. Team seven consists of a pink haired medic named Sakura Haruno and a blonde, blue eyed, ramen loving boy named Naruto Uzumaki. Then of course there was me, an average sized, brown spiky haired, hazel eyed, me.

The Hokage gave us a mission to go to Suna and be the Kazekage's body guards and look out for suspicion of an assassination. It was a very long journey to Suna but in a few more hours we would finally be there. I closed my eyes and kept running.

I opened my eyes when we came to a stop. Sakura's hand was on my shoulder as we walk to the gates of Suna. Some sand ninjas hopped down from their posts and stood in front of us. Naruto handed the guards a note from the Hokage explaining everything. The guard looked at it and opened the gates to let us in. We were escorted to the Kazekage's office by some other sand nins. They opened the doors for us and we walked in. behind a large desk a boy around our age sat. His hair was red and his eyes were the color of jades. On the left side of his forehead was a red Kanji. Love.

We took off our ANBU masks and looked at the Kage. "You know exactly why you are here, correct?" he asked in a low, husky voice. We all nodded. A woman and a man walked in. the man had on a black hood that reminded me of little cat ears and had purple face paint on. The woman had four blonde ponytails in her hair, she looked familiar. I remember! I have seen her in Konoha before. I think her name is Temari.

"This is my brother Kankuro and my sister Temari they will show you to your rooms." The kage told us. After the others left, I just stood there and stared at the boy.

"Gaara?" I asked. He looked at me and got up from his chair and stood closely in front of me.

"Kat." That was all that he said. I attacked with a bone crushing hug. I felt him tense up and then relax. He was about a head taller than me and as skinny as a toothpick.

I grabbed his shoulders and looked him over. "Look at you! Kazekage! That's amazing!"

A sand ninja came into the room,"Kazekage- oh. I'm sorry. "

"What is it, captain?" Gaara said sound a little bit annoyed.

"Never mind." The nin said nervously leaving the room in a hurry.

"Come." Gaara said taking my hand and leading me out of the office. We walked down a few halls and went up a few flights of stairs.

"I like your dress." I said to him winking.

"It's not a dress it is a robe. Kankuro wears dresses not me." I laughed at his sudden sense of humor. We walked to a big door which I assume was a dining hall. I hope it is and my stomach agrees.

"He also wears make up too. Kanky can't look pretty without his make up." I said while he opened the big door. A light notice went through the air it sounded like laughing. I looked at Gaara to find him laughing at what I said. Everyone, which I just realized people were there, stared at Gaara like he was purple and had two heads.

"He's laughing…" Temari said in awe. "That is a first!"

Okay. Sooo. Yay? Nay?


	2. Chapter 2

Okay peoples here you go! AND THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING YOU KNOW WHO U R!

It is nighttime now. Sakura, Temari, and I are in my room painting each other's nails and talking. "Kankuro is kind of cute; I mean without all his face paint I bet he's hot. Don't you think, Kat?" Sakura asked while Temari was painting her nails a pastel pink, the same color as her hair.

"Hn…" was my genius answer. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, hugging them to me.

"She's too busy staring and flirting with Gaara to notice anyone else." Temari taunted. I shot her my best death glare. "Poor Kat too embarrassed to admit that she likes him."

"Temari at least I am not interested in boys younger than me. I saw you looking at Naruto more than needed." Temari face flushed with anger. Sakura was blowing on her pink nails and listening to the conflict going on between us. Suddenly there was a knock on my door, I hopped out of bed and opened the door. Kankuro and Naruto walked in my room and sat on my bed.

"Hay girlies!" Kankuro said in a shrill, girly voice.

"Yes, you may come in." I said in a sarcastic voice. "But if you enter, which you already have, we get to paint your nails." Sakura's face lit up at my words.

"Awe, Kat, come on, that is cruel." Naruto whined while scratching the back of his neck.

"I CALL THE COLOR PURPLE!" Kankuro yelled while snatching up the purple nail polish.

"ORANGE!" Naruto yelled doing the same. While Temari and Sakura painted the boy's nails while I sat in the chair looking out of the window.

"Kat why so quiet?" Kankuro asked while blowing on his nails.

"She's just sad because Gaara isn't here so she can't flirt." I glared at Sakura; I quickly grabbed a pencil of eyeliner and attacked Naruto, drawing all of his face.

"What was that for I didn't do anything!" Naruto yelled at me. I shrugged and sat down in the chair again. Sakura yawned and got up from the bed.

"I think I'm going to go to bed, night guys." She said while gathering all the nail polish and walking out.

After a few minutes everyone left, finally. I laid spread eagle on my bed and closed my eyes. After a few minutes of relaxing, there was a soft knock on my door. I got up and picked up the eyeliner I attacked Naruto with, just in case. I opened the door slowly and put the tip of the eyeliner in front of…. Gaara…

"Planning to harm me with eyeliner?" he chuckled.

"I thought you were someone else." I said simply, shrugging my shoulders. He raised an almost nonexistent eyebrow. "Well come in if you want." He nodded and sat on my bed. I sat in front of him and stared at him. A few different emotions flickers on his face, it was like he was arguing in his head. "So…. What is up?" I asked trying to start a conversation to break the extremely awkward silence.

"Hn." He replied.

_Kat! Stop staring at him, it's rude to stare!_

_ '_Who are you?' I said in my mind.

_I am that little voice in your head that is telling you to stop staring at him like a lovesick puppy._

I frowned at what the voice said.

"Who are you talking to?" Gaara asked.

"I don't know but I wish she would shut up." I answered truthfully, mentally slapping myself for sounding like such a freak.

"Well I should be going, it is late." Both of us stood up at the same time, I blushed when I realized how close we were. We were staring into each other's eyes trying to figure out what each other were thinking. He leaned in a bit closer, I could feel the heat radiating off of his cheeks. Just as our lips were about to brush against each other's he turned his head and left slamming the door behind him.

**GAARA'S POV**

I jumped up on the roof of the building sitting down on the warm, hard stone.

_Why didn't you kiss her, she is smoking' it was so in the moment and you just had to ruin it for us! I mean seriously! I know that you like her, because I am a part of you. Next time kiss her._

"Shut up, Shakaku." I said out loud. _It is not right if you make out with an ANBU ninja who was assigned a mission to protect us. Besides I don't think there will even be a next time because I think I scared her off._

_I think she enjoyed it. _

_ You will just end up hurting her, like you do to everyone else we know. Even Temari and Kankuro._

_Kid it is not like I'm not getting anything out of this. If you're happy with her, so am I._

_Shakaku, I think you have grown soft._

_Don't push your luck kid._

Alright, I really do not want to put the whole Gaara got betrayed, turned into a killer, Shakaku thing. If you don't know about it. Google it. In Google we trust! Mwuahahahahahahhaa! Okay. Um r&r!

If you don't review Kankuro will hunt you down and paint your nails a very ugly color and you will not like it! Heh...Heh...


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys sorry for the late update some things came up ya know?

Kat pov

The light streaming through the windows woke me up. I looked around expecting to be back in Konoha in my warm bed. I look around the room, Suna, oh. I quickly got dressed in my ANBU uniform and went over to Sakura's room and knocked on the door. A very sleepy looking pink haired kunoichi opened the door. I gave her a slight nod and left to go wake up Naruto.

I opened his door to find him spread eagle on his bed. "Naruto." I said out loud. He didn't move except for a twitch in his sleep. I sighed knowing the only way to wake him up was to bribe him. "Naruto, if you wake up I'll get Sakura to treat you to ramen." He shot up out of bed.

"I AM UP!" he yelled while grabbing his uniform and running to the bathroom. I left his room and sighed. I went back to my room to finish getting ready. I put on all of my kunai pouches and hooked my ANBU cat mask on my belt. Making my bed and cleaning up I went outside to the Kazekage's office. I knocked gently against the door.

"You may come in, Kat." The kazekage said in a low, airy voice. I opened the door and went in.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I am familiar with your chakra." He replied simply. I nodded at him. I sat on his desk, which was paper free, unlike Tsunade's I guess not sleeping every night gets you bored enough to do paperwork.

"What are we going to be doing today?" I asked trying to make conversation.

"Hn."

"Can you say something else besides 'Hn'?" I asked.

"Hn."

"Hn."

"Hn."

"HN!"

"Hm." Gaara smirked, enjoying making me mad. I got up and got in his face and glared at him. Noticing how close we were I blushed furiously. We stared at each other, for once Gaara looked nervous. Like a scared little panda bear. I guess he noticed that I was petrified in fear, so he leaned in closing the space between us. We kissed. It could have with a few seconds, minutes, or hours. I couldn't tell. His arms were wrapped around my waist and mine around his neck, trying to get closer to each other.

I broke the kiss and rested my forehead on his, staring in his jade eyes. "I guess this changes things." I whispered quietly. I ran my fingers through his soft, red hair. Sensing someone's chakra I froze.

"It's just Kankuro." Gaara said calmly. I sat down on the desk again, completely embarrassed. "enter." He said, I could tell that he was a bit annoyed.

"Gaara, the captain told me to tell you that some of the Akatsuki have been spotted." My ears perked up and the news, I got up quickly.

"Which ones? Where? Did they harm anyone?" I shot questions at Kankuro quickly.

"The blonde one and the puppet, a few miles away from the northern base, and no, they have yet to attacked." Kankuro said calmly.

"Deidara and Sasori." I whispered to myself.

"What? You know them?" Kankuro asked.

"I read about Sasori in a report, and Deidara, I used to live by him when I lived in the northern territories. Before he joined the Akatsuki. Weird kid. I don't know him well since he was older than me and then I moved away. He had these mouths on his hands, the trait goes back in his family, and he uses them with the explosive clay, as you may already know."

"Hn." Gaara said. "They are most likely planning an attack. Since the kyuubi is here also... It might just be a distraction so Konoha will let their guard down and they may attack Konoha. Kat, go back to konoha with your team and warn them about the possible attack." He saw that I was about to protest, but he continued to talk. "Suna will be alright with the ninja that we have already. Right now we need to warn the Hokage."

"Hai." I agreed walking out of the room to go get Naruto and Sakura.

Gaara's pov 

"So did you like make out or something?" Kankuro asked after Kat had left.

"Hn." I replied not really wanting to discuss this with my older, perverted, brother.

"Woohoo I can't wait to tell Temari!" Kankuro exclaimed. I could tell that Shakaku was not happy right now, we agreed for once. I used my sand to throw Kankuro out the doors and locked them so he couldn't try to get back in.

"GAARA LET ME BACK IN DAMMIT!" My older brother yelled while banging his fists on the door. Nope. Not going to happen.

_Heh. Two point for us! One for kissing that sexy ANBU and one for throwing Kanky out. Why does the girl have to go?_

_ '_Because there is most likely going to be an attack on Suna and I don't want her to get hurt and if there is also an attack on Konoha then I trust that they can take care of it their selves. They have the copy ninja, and the Kyuubi. Kat is not stupid if she faces danger she will fight smartly and not get into any trouble. I hope.'

_ I hope too, kid. Because if she dies then who will entertain me, your about as boring as old people._

'Be safe, Kat.'

Awe guys. He does care. R&r! 


	4. Chapter 4

Kat pov

We have been traveling for a day and a half to Konoha. "Kat, can we please stop and take a break we have been running full speed for hours and hours." Sakura whined.

"Stop complaining! You can rest all you would like when we get home! We got to get to Konoha!" I yelled back at both of them. I could hear them whispering to each other. "The faster we get home, the faster we can be prepared, and safe." I muttered to myself.

Around six hours later we made it to the Hokage's office. I opened the door without asking to enter as usual; manners were not the most important thing right now. "Tsunade-sama! Some of the Akatsuki members where spotted near Suna. Gaa- I mean the Kazekage wanted us to come back and warn you to be prepared to fight because it is suspected that they were trying to let our guard down and then attack Konoha."

"Very well." She replied. "Get some rest now."

"Arigato, Tsunade-sama" I replied bowing, then leaving the room.

"Sakura, how does treating me to ramen sound?" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"Do I really have a choice, Naruto?" she replied back as we walked down the crowded streets of Konoha. "Kat, you coming with us?" Sakura asked. I shook my head and started to walk away.

"Oh come on, Kat, you never come with us to anywhere! You're such a kill joy!" Naruto complained.

"If I go will you shut up?" I asked in a quite annoyed tone. He nodded with a smile ear to ear. I sighed and followed them to the ramen shop.

"Naruto! Nice to see you again! The usual I'm assuming?" the old man, who was the owner of the shop, said.

"Heh, it's nice to see you too, old man!" Naruto replied. I ate my food in silence listening to Sakura and Naruto talk.

"So you're back from your mission so soon?" a voice beside me asked. I glanced over at the man and frowned.

"I do not see how this concerns you, Sai." He shrugged poked his food with his chopsticks.

"Did you just get back?" he asked.

"Sai, can you please stop asking so many questions. My mission did not concern you so I do not think that you need to know. Yes I just got back from the mission now shut up please." I snapped.

"Maru-san missed you. She wouldn't shut up about it at home." Sai told me. I nodded, Sai has been living with us ever since he came to Konoha and is like the annoying brother I never got to have. Lucky me, not really. I got up to leave, "Going so soon?" he asked. I nodded and left.

I didn't go home; I went to my favorite place in all of Konoha, a spot in front of a lake on a big rock. Sometimes I'd go at nights when there was a full moon and look at the moon reflecting off of the water. Even beautiful was an understatement for the scene. I sat on the rock for a few hours and completely cleared my mind, being free of worry or stress.

I felt something soft and furry brushed against my hand. I looked down to see a little raccoon sniffing my hand. It rubbed its head in the palm of my hand. I slightly smiled as it hopped up in my lap and stared up at me with its black ringed eyes just like… the raccoon suddenly turned toward the woods and ran off. I got up and ran home.

When I got to the house, I was greeted with the warm smell of bread. I opened the door to be attack by my mom with hugs and kisses. "What took you so long to get home? Did something happen?" she asked.

"No mom, nothing happened. I just needed to go somewhere for a little while before I came home, that's it." I replied, heading to the kitchen sitting down at the table to eat. Sai, who was already at the table, gave me one of his famous fake smiles. Mom also sat down at the table and smiled.

"It is so nice to have a family dinner. Well, besides your dad who is needed at work all the time." She said slightly frowning.

"Wasn't your mission supposed to be longer? I mean you've only been there for a couple of days." Sai asked.

"I cannot tell you. It is strictly between the Hokage and the Kazekage." I replied poking my food with my chopsticks.

"Ah, yes. So tell us about Suna. Has it changed much since we last been?" mom said trying to change the subject.

"Yes it is the same, but the people are much happier than before when we went. It is still ridiculously sandy there." I looked down at my plate swirling the noodles on my plate.

"Who is the kage there now?" she asked.

"Remember the last time we went to Suna? When we were at the park and you told me to find someone to play with?" my mother nodded and I continued, "the little boy in the sandbox, Gaara…" I said my cheeks turning a pale pink when I said his name.

"Ah yes! I remember him, such a sweet little boy, cute to!" the blush on my cheeks turned to a deep red in a matter of seconds. I got up left the kitchen, walking to my room and closing the door. After a long, hot shower, I threw myself on my bed and fell asleep.

I woke up with a start. Cold sweat running down my face and my heart was beating far faster than normal. Gaara… Deidara... gone… I got up and ran out of my room and went into Sai's he was sitting on his bed drawing another stupid whatever. "What is wrong?" he asked in his usually monotone voice.

"Lets go see the Hokage." I said taking his hand and pulling him out of his room. Both of us quietly ran down the stairs and grabbed our cloaks and left the house.

"Why are we going to go see the Hokage in the middle of the night?" he asked.

"I have a bad feeling inside; we shouldn't have left Suna… I think something bad has happened." I replied.

"Kat, I'm sad to say this, but most of the time you are right. Come on, lets run." We took off running to the big building with a symbol of fire on it.

When we got to the Hokage's office I knock on the door franticly, not waiting for an answer I walked in. Tsunade was waking up from what looked to be a nap on her desk. "What are you doing here…?" she asked in a tired and annoyed voice.

"Tsunade have you heard from Suna? Did anything bad happen?" I asked quickly.

"No, and if something did happen it would take about two days for the message to be sent. You know that, Kat. Why are you asking?"

"I had a bad feeling about this. I had a dream that the two Akatsuki members were in Suna, Sasori of the red sand and Deidara. The ones that have been spotted around there. In my dream Deidara has this bird and the kazekage and he fought and in the end Gaara got captured. Then there was this boulder, a giant bolder with a sealing justu on it and the Akatsuki inside of it... That's all I remember..."

"Very well. If anything happens I want you and your team to go help out. I will contact you if we get a message." The Hokage said. I bowed to her and left the room.


End file.
